John m



(No Model.)

.J. M. BOUCK.

RUNNING GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

' No. 331,471. Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

II Fig. 1.

R a J i INVENTOR BY AMMV QF ATTORNEYS.

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JUNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. BOUOK, OF GOUVERNEUR, NEW YORK.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,471. dated December 1, 1885.

Application filed July 30, 1885. Serial No. 173,043. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN M- BoUoK, of Gouverneur, in the county of St. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a new and improved reach-gear for side-spring wheels; and the invention consists, principally, in connecting the reach proper to the front axle and bolster by a sliding and laterally-rocking attachment that permits the axle and bolster to have a back and forth and sidewisemovement independently of the reach, so that the front bolster and axle will accommodate themselves to the load on the springs.

The invention also consists of the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of the front part of a vehicle-reach shown connected to the front axle by my new reach attachments, and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, taken on the line 06 x of Fig. 1.

A represents the front end of the reach; B, the front axle, and 0 represents the front bolster, held upon the axle B by the king-bolt D, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The reach A is connected to the axle and bolster by means of the clevis E, sliding reach-iron F, placed on the end of the reach, the connecting-rods G G, and the metal bar I-I, secured to the under surface of the reach A by bolts a a. The clevis E is attached to the axle A by the kingbolt 1), passing through the arms 6 e of the clevis, and it is attached to the bolster G by the upwardly-projecting arm and plate 6 and 6, through which latter screws or bolts 6 pass into or through the bolster. The said clevis E is formed at its lower end with the downwardly-projecting arm 6*, to which, the connecting-rods G G are secured by a bolt, 6 and the clevis is connected to the lower portion, f, of the reach-iron F by a bolt, e, that passes through the sides of the iron and through the rearwardly-extending head e of the clevis end. The clevis pivots on the bolt e, so that a hingelike connection is formed between the.-

and its rear end is made round or partly round to receive the forward end of the reach A, as shown clearly in Fig. 2, so that the forward end of the reach proper is held between the lower portion, f, and upper portion, f, of the reach-iron F. The connecting-rods G G are by preference connected to the bar H, attached to the reach by a ball-and-socket connection composed of the corresponding cups, formed at the rear ends of the rods G, and the depending ball it, formed upon or attached to the lower surface of the bar H, the connect ing-rods being bolted together by bolts h, so the cups clasp the ball, as shown. The lower portion, f, of the reach-iron F is held to the bar H by the cross-plates h h? and the bolts h h entering lugs h (see Fig. 2, dotted lines) on the iron f, and to prevent rattling the plates h are each formed with a central cup, z, in which a spring, 1', that constantly presses the washer-plates i (placed between the plates 12 and the bar H) upwardly, so that there will be no loosening or movement of the parts. Another spring, j, is placed between the clevis E and the forward end of the lower portion, f, of the reach-iron F, also to take up wear of the parts and to prevent rattling.

To further prevent rattling of the iron F, I recess the reach at Z and place a coiled spring, Z, therein, or I may use a rubber spring, if desired, and in place of the coiled springs z" and j I may use soft-rubber springs, if deemed necessary or advantageous. The iron H is by preference made circular, so that the reachiron F may have a lateral turning movement on the reach A as far as the connecting-rods G will permit, so that the up-and-down movement of the axle B at its ends will not twist or strain the reach materially. This gives the running-gear a desirable flexibleness not hitherto attained. By hinging the reach to the axle and by adapting the reach-iron F to slide upon the reach, thus making the reach extensible, the running-gear will adjust itself to the movement of depression of the springs S S under the load, so there is no danger of breaking the springs, and they have more freedom than with ordinary side-spring vehicles, and render the vehicles easier riding.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The reach A of a four-Wheel vehicle, attached to the axle B by a jointed and sliding connection, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The reach A, provided with the reachiron F, in combination with the clevis E, attached to the axle B and hinged to the iron F, substantially as described.

3. The reach A, provided with the bar H and sliding iron F, in combination with the olevis E, attached to axle B and hinged to the for the purposes set forth.

iron F, and the connecting-rods G, connecting 20 the clevis with the iron H, substantially as described.

4;. The reach-iron F, formed with upper and lower portions, f f, in combination with the bar H, attached to the reach, substantially as 25 clescribed.-

5. The combination, With the reach-iron F and bar H, of springs t", arranged to prevent rattling, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the reach-iron F 0 V and clevis E, of the spring j, arranged between the clevis and reach-iron, substantially as and JOHN M. BOUOK.

Witnesses:

W. S. FARMER, J AMES W. ONNISTON. 

